Improvement in combined blotting-pad and ruler



W. H. BENNETT. Combined Blotting Pad and Ruler.

N fo. 198,560. jggfatented Dec. 25,1877.

Witnesses- IZ/LA W N.'FE|'ER8. PHOTO-LITNOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

. Specification formin Todll i whont itmatjcoltcm:

the same.

PATENT QFFICE.

. or NEW YORK, N. Y.

| M P nea /EM BLOTTl-NG- PAD: AND RULER.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM new TT,

of the city, county, andJState of N :gY ork,

have invented certain new and useful Improve- V ments in Combination Blotting-Pads, of which the following is a specification:

This inventionrelates' to that class of articles of desk-furniture. known as blottingpads and in thepresent instance it consists in the provision of [a light metallic body or frame, which is arranged to carry and protect the blotting-paper, and, in addition thereto, also has attached to one face a detachable rule, which may "have out upon its face a series' of scales for purposes of measurement, all of which combination .of parts will be hereinafter fully set forth and described.

In the drawings, which form an essential part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus in which my invention is fully embodied. Fig. 2 is a reverse view of Fig. 3is a sectional view taken on line a: w in Fig. 1,-'and Fig. 4 is a front view taken on line 22 o in Fig. 1.

The same reference-letters marked on the several figures of the drawings will designate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is the production of a combination blotting-pad that shall be cheap in construction, strong and serviceable in use, be capable of carrying one or more sheets ofblotting -.paper on its lower face, which sheet or sheets may be quickly in.- serted, reversed, or withdrawn, and provided on itsupperfacewithasmoothsurfaceforthehand of the writer to rest upon when the apparatus is in use, and also arranged to carry a detachable rule, which may have out upon its face a scale, making it of additional value for measurement purposes. g

A represents the body or frame of the apparatus, which may be formed from any suitable sheet metal. Both ends of this body are turned over and inwardlyon its lower face, forming flanges or lips wand a.

B and B are two narrow arms or clamps, made from thin sheet metal, and soldered or otherwise affixed to the upper face of the body A, the outer edges of both being nearly parallel, as shown in Fig.1. v

O is the detachable rule, also formed from 0' 198,660, dated December 25,, 1877'; application filed ber 15, 1877.

sheet metal, and shaped substantially as shown best in Fig. 3, having two wings,b and .0,;the lower wing a being inserted between the face-of the body A and the arms or clamps B and B, such arms pressing down upon it and confining it in place as adjusted. This rule may have a scale, g, out upon its upper face, as shown in Fig. 1.

D is a small knob or handle attached to the face of the body A at its lefthand end, furnishing a ready means by which the apparatus is moved and controlled by the left hand of the operator when it is in use. A ring, E, is affixed to the right-hand end of the apparatus, furnishing a means of suspending it to a hook when not in use.

' Centrally on the lower face of the body A, and between it and the lips (I. a, a metal stop, d, is attached, which may be V-shaped, as shown in Fig. 2, or of any other suitable shape that will answer the purpose. This stop d may beattached to both lip on and body A, or to either alone, as may be preferred.

F represents the sheet or sheets of blottingpaper, each end of which has a small piece, h, cut therefrom,leaving an opening corresponding to the shape of the stop d, but slightly larger. The blotting paper, thus provided with openings h, is inserted under the lip on at one end, and bent until the other end will slip under the lip at the opposite end, when it settles into its position. It is obvious that, after the blotting-paper is thus inserted, it cannot escape or move laterally, as the stops cl prevent such tendency.

When the apparatus is used, the rule 0 is detached, and the hand of the writer rests upon the smooth surface of the metal face of body A, and, when removing surplus ink, is lifted by the handle D, and pressed upon the paper by the right hand, the same as with ordinary sheets of blotting-paper. The sheet metal being thin, no perceptible diiference while writing can be detected.

This method of using the blotting-paper preserves one face perfectly clean, which is afterward brought into use by simply reversing it. This is quite an item, for the reason that good blotting-paper is quite costly and quickly destroyed on both faces-on the one by ink, on the other by the hands of the writer.

The attaching of the rule 0 to the body A gives perfect control thereof, insuring its steadiness when used. 4 In some cases I propose to aflix or cut upon the upper face of the body A a scale of inches, such scale being located on either longitudinal face.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The flat body A, both ends of which on the lower face are provided with lips a a, and stops d,'all arranged and applied as and for the purposes substantially as herein shown and set forth.

2. The combination of the body A, having lips a a and stops (1 on its lower face, and the sheet of blotting-paper F, provided at each end with openings h, arranged and applied as and for the purposes as herein shown and set forth.

3. The combination of the body A, provided B, or their equivalent, and the detachable rule 0, which may or may not be provided with a scale on its upper face, the two arranged and operating as and for the purposes substantially as herein shown and set forth.

4. The combination,in a blotting-pad, of the body A, having lips a and 0/, provided with stops d, sheet of blotting-paper F carried thereby, the upper face of such body A carrying clamping-arms B and B and handle D, and the rule 0, all combined, applied, and operating as and for the purposes as herein shown and set forth.

WILLIAM H. BENNETT. Witnesses:

A. L. MUNsoN, V E. G. WARD. 

